This invention relates to a semiconductor non-volatile optical memory device for visible and infrared light input and to an integrated circuit comprising one or more said semiconductor devices.
There are known many semiconductor optical devices such as photo-diodes, photo-transistors and photo-conductive devices. Furthermore, image detectors such as photo-diode arrays and CCDs have recently been developed. But the electrical output of these devices relative to optical information is volatile.
The object of this invention is to provide a semiconductor device or integrated circuit which non-violatilely memorizes optical information and is capable of electrical readout.
The other object of this invention is to provide an integrated non-volatile memory circuit with low operating voltage which is compatible with high speed integrated logic circuits.